High-density microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of microcrystalline silicon from dichlorosilane

Fast deposition of hydrogenated chlorinated microcrystalline (μc–) Si:H:Cl films was investigated using the high-density and low-temperature microwave plasma source utilizing a spoke antenna of a SiH2Cl2–H2 mixture. The optical emission spectroscopy study revealed that the SiCl intensity and the Ha/SiCl intensity ratio are the possible monitors for the film deposition rate and the degree of the film crystallinity, respectively. The μc–Si:H:Cl films fabricated from SiH2Cl2 possessed less volume fraction of void and defect density rather than μc–Si:H from SiH4 while maintaining a high deposition rate of 40 Å/s. These originate from the chemical reactivity of H and Cl terminated growing surface. The fine structure of μc–Si:H:Cl film is discussed and compared with that of μc–Si:H film from SiH4.